How Mobile Tagging Is Like Dating

Holly Richmond

Wednesday, Jun 15, 2011 at 4:40 PM

Conventional wisdom says you shouldn't mix dating and work. But there are definitely some similarities, am I right? From lead nurturing and business development to small business marketing, parallels to dating abound. Mobile tagging is no different. Seriously! And even if you've been off the market for a while (see what I did there?), dating can teach you a thing or two about how to best use Tag.

Give 'em space. Literally. Your Tag needs some white space around it so it can breaaathe, so it doesn't feel like you're smothering it and stealing all its friends, which will make eventually breaking up even more awkward (and, oh yeah, so people can scan it properly). I saw a Tag recently without the recommended white border and my officemate had trouble scanning it. If you want people to love you -- or at least successfully load your video or mobile site -- just leave a little space. (Check out the section on this in the implementation guide -- we recommend the same width as the bottom black bar.)

Get creative. Even a sunset picnic on the beach with crashing waves and wasabi grilled cheese (!) would get boring if it happened every Friday. So it is with your Tags. Spice things up and sustain customer interest by trying different Tag types. If scanning your Tag takes people to your site, try one that sends them to your app in the appropriate app marketplace. Or one that gives them a vCard with your business's contact info. If you've been using basic black-and-white Tags, incorporate your logo or another colorful design to pique customer interest and blend in with your branding.

Explain the benefits. Your first-date pitch ("I can give you love, financial security, and a lifetime supply of Twizzlers") tells your date what to expect, giving them your value proposition, as it were. You wouldn't just sit there looking pretty, right? So make sure you communicate to customers why they should scan your Tag – what they'll get out of it, and why it matters. Can they instantly sign up for your hilarious e-newsletter or enter to win a free Shneegle? Because I hear Shneegles are really hot right now.

Analyze the heck out of it. Part of the fun of dating is rereading texts, emails, and Facebook messages for hidden layers of meaning and torturing yourself with the myriad, unlikely possibilities. (Did I say fun? I meant misery.) While you probably don't have time to live and breathe analytics, Tag's free reporting data can tell you how well your Tags are performing, from number of scans to scan location (if users have opted in). So just like a healthy relationship, you can gauge how well things are going and adjust your behavior appropriately.

Be flexible. If the Tag that links to your mobile coupon isn't performing as well as you'd like, try something else: location-based directions to your nearest store, a mobile scavenger hunt, your e-commerce site, a behind-the-scenes video. Because if you get too rigid and jealous you are totally going to scare Jenny off.

Do you think mobile tagging is anything like dating, or I am a crazy person? Let me know in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter.